1. Field of the Invention
This invention is directed toward an apparatus and method for controlling an animal. More particularly, the invention is directed toward controlling an animal by a remotely controlled system. The remotely controlled system comprises a remote control unit, which provides an input signal to an actuator. The actuator then provides a physical stimulus to the animal.
2. Description of the Related Art
In the equestrian world, a bridle is standard rigging for controlling a horse during various activities. The bridle normally attaches to a set of reins, a lead rope, or a jerk-line for applying a controlling force. For use with horses, such rigging can be used with a rider in a mounted or dismounted state. When mounted, the rider may command the horse to stop or back up by pulling the reins toward the rider. The amplitude and duration of pull force also depend on the rider""s desired maneuver as well as the horse""s level of training and the horse""s sensitivity to commands. Likewise, force applied on one rein represents a command to the horse to turn in a particular direction. The mounted rider typically sits on a saddle. The saddle normally includes a saddle horn for tying the reins or other ropes to the saddle.
The type of rider activity determines how to use such rigging. Typical activities may include training, pleasure riding, cattle ranching, and professional competitions like racing or rodeos. For instance, cattle ranching activities often require the rider to dismount the animal and do work while leaving the animal in a stationary position. Depending on the level of training, the horse may have to be secured to a rigid fence or post to keep the animal from walking away from the rider. Also in pleasure riding, an inexperienced rider may leave an animal unattended and allow the animal to walk away. Again the reins are often tied to a post or held by the rider to secure the animal. For a trained horse, the rider may keep the horse steady by dropping the reins to the ground, a method referred to as xe2x80x9cground-tiexe2x80x9d. For professional rodeo competitions like calf roping, the rider uses more sophisticated rigging such as a xe2x80x9cjerk-linexe2x80x9d. In competition, the rider must be able to rope a calf, then quickly dismount the horse, proceed to a calf that may be as much as 20-30 feet in front of the horse, and tie the calf""s legs while the horse maintains its position. In competition and training, the rider uses the jerk-line to pull the bridle after the rider dismounts the horse encouraging the horse to remain stationary or back up slightly. In competition, the pull is accomplished by tying an end of the line to the bit, feeding it through a pulley connected to the saddle horn and feeding the other end in a weave pattern between the rider""s waist and belt. As the rider dismounts and runs forward to the calf, the jerk-line feeds out from the rider""s waist and the friction involved causes a pull at the bit. The line is designed to feed completely out of the rider""s waist and fall to the ground, thus the rider will lose control of the horse after that time. In training, the rider may simply stand to the side or in front of the horse and pull the jerk-line by hand causing the horse to stop or back up. Another type of rigging used for training purposes is referred to as a tether line. A tether line may be a lead rope from 20-50 feet long with one end tied to the bit and the other end held by a trainer, thus allowing the animal to move in an area without running away.
The use of such rigging has created several needs for an improved control device. Tying a horse with reins to a stationary structure may be inconvenient or impossible thus suggesting the need for another means for holding the horse steady. Also, for the rancher or pleasure rider, the reins or rope are of no use for stopping a horse that is wandering off and is out of the rider""s reach; a device to help the rider stop and retrieve such a horse is desirable. The ground-tie method may result in the same situation if the horse is not properly trained or the ground-tie method also may cause the horse to panic if the horse steps on the reins, thus creating the need for a more reliable device. For competition use, the jerk-line is limited to a certain length of about 17 feet, and continued control of the horse is often not possible unless the rider retrieves a line out of his reach. Also, the jerk-line may develop an inconsistent pull on the bridle due to the nature of its use. Information relevant to attempts to address these problems can be found in U.S. Pat. No. 4,304,193 to Madden; U.S. Pat. No. 4,765,276 to Kime; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,566,645 to Cole. However, each of these suffers from one or more of the following technical and commercial disadvantages relative to the present invention: (a) the design does not solely address the foregoing needs; (b) the complexity does not allow for economical manufacture of a device that addresses the foregoing needs; (c) the complexity does not provide the user with an efficient interface; and (d) the device as illustrated is too large and cumbersome to be used with a saddle for the activities described above. Moreover, typical proposed solutions such as the above do not address issues related to controlled force applied to the animal, nor do they adequately address the need to free-rein the animal in an autonomous fashion.
For the foregoing reasons, there has been a long-felt need for a horse controlling device that can be used with a typical saddle and can allow a rider to use the device while mounted or dismounted from the saddle. Another long-felt need has been for a device that is built solely for the purpose of stopping or backing up a horse. Another long-felt need has been for a device of this nature that is inexpensive to manufacture and therefore is a reasonable cost to the consumer. Yet another need for the device is that it be a rugged and robust design. These needs require the device to be lightweight, have a small form factor, and be weather resistant.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an economical apparatus for electronically controlling an animal using controlled torque and autonomous free-rein when a control stimulus is not applied.
The present invention is directed to an apparatus and method that satisfy the needs for controlling a horse. The horse controlling apparatus adapted to act upon a bridle having features of the present invention includes a remote signal unit. The apparatus further includes an actuation unit that is mechanically coupled to a horse and electronically coupled to the remote signal unit. The actuation unit further includes a control unit, an actuator that is electrically coupled to the control unit, and a battery that is electrically coupled to the control unit and the actuator so that the horse can simultaneously carry the actuation unit, a saddle, and a rider sitting on the saddle.
The actuator includes a motor and a reel coupled to a shaft, the motor applying a force to a line wound about the reel by turning a shaft. A clutch assembly in the actuator releases the force autonomously when power is removed from the motor.
In another embodiment, the control unit includes a torque control device to vary the torque applied by the motor from 0 ft-lbs to about 40 ft-lbs or more. The torque might be varied by varying voltage applied to the motor.
In a preferred embodiment, the actuator may be mechanically coupled to the bridle. In another preferred embodiment, the actuator may be located forward of a saddle, the saddle being attached to the horse. In another preferred embodiment, the control unit and battery may be located behind a saddle, the saddle being attached to the horse. In another preferred embodiment, the actuator may be attached to the saddle. In another preferred embodiment, the control unit may include a programmable controller. In another preferred embodiment, the actuator may include a gear train coupled to the electric motor and bridle. In another preferred embodiment, the apparatus further includes a saddle. In another preferred embodiment, the actuation unit is secured inside the saddle.
An apparatus adapted to act upon a bridle having features of the present invention includes a remote signal unit. The apparatus further includes an actuation unit that is mechanically coupled to a horse and electronically coupled to the remote signal unit. The actuation unit further includes a control unit, an actuator electrically coupled to the control unit, and a battery electrically coupled to the control unit and the actuator so that the actuator applies a control stimulus only to the bridle. In a preferred embodiment, the horse can simultaneously carry the actuation unit, a saddle, and a rider sitting on the saddle.
An apparatus having features of the present invention includes a remote signal unit. The apparatus further includes an actuation unit adjacent to the saddle and electronically coupled to the remote signal unit. The actuation unit further includes a control unit, an actuator electrically coupled to the control unit, and a battery electrically coupled to the control unit and the actuator so that the actuator is housed in a first housing and the control unit and the battery are housed in a second housing.
A method having features of the present invention includes the step of electronically sending a signal from a remote signal unit to an actuation unit. The method further includes receiving the signal at the actuation unit, actuating the bridle with the actuation unit based on the signal and other inputs to the actuation unit. In a preferred embodiment, the step of actuating the bridle includes successive pulling and releasing motions applied to the bridle. The bridle is actuated by applying a force to a line coupled to the bridle, and the force is autonomously removed when the actuating command is removed. In a preferred embodiment actuating force is varied using a torque control device coupled to a motor, where the motor drives a shaft to apply the actuating force.
The present invention has a number of advantages. One advantage is that the horse may be controlled from a remote location without a line connected to the horse. Another advantage is that the apparatus is simple and has only the required functionality thereby making the apparatus inexpensive and practical to the consumer. Another advantage is that the apparatus may include an actuator that is programmable and therefore repeatable. Another advantage is that the apparatus may be detachable from the saddle. Another advantage is that the apparatus may be secured in part or entirely internal to the saddle so that the saddle form factor is substantially unchanged.